To Love the Sweet Jerk
by Fayre Lady
Summary: A journey in which loss, and love force us to turn our back on our relationships, in favor of pleasure and ease. The forces which keep us alive are as weak as the ones which kill us.
1. Chapter 1

**So I'm new to this. Completly. So before we start off I have a few things you should know. Chapters will vary in length, and quality. New Chapters will be added as frequently as possible. Feel free to tell me what you think good or bad. Enjoy! **

He leaned against the back door of the club waiting as he did every night. It was later than usual and he was getting tired. Ryou hardly ever kept him waiting, and never for this long. Finally the boy came out of the club, seeming stressed and much too tired. Bakura took the guitar from him and wrapped an arm around him as they walked down the street.

"How was the show?'

"Long and the set list was misplaced so we were a little messed up the whole time. Because of that Anzu freaked out and threatened to terminate our contract. That's what took so long, we had to calm her down."

"I see." Was it to horrible that he thought Ryou was so adorable when he was a little stressed?

"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting for so long. I kept trying to leave but they needed someone to run interference."

"Its okay babe, you're worth the wait." He felt better when Ryou smiled, he was still unbelievably adorable.

They arrived at the door of the apartment building they lived in. They rented a small one bedroom hardly-enough-room-to –breath apartment; but it was okay with them. They liked being close. Once inside Ryou went to shower leaving Bakura alone in the disaster zone that was their home. Both of them worked as psychologists in downtown New York, and as Ryou played nightly at the club it left Bakura to clean, which wasn't often. He started to clean the kitchen, putting away dishes and such before going to bed. Ryou was already in bed by the time the other boy had showered and changed. He knelt down beside the bed so he was eye level with Ryou (who was asleep). He kissed Ryou as softly as he could.

"I love you." He whispered "Goodnight."

He walked around the other side of their bed and slid under the blanket. He placed an arm over Ryou and rested his chin on top his head.

**Short I know, next Chapter should be about the same and then we get into the meat of the story. **

**xo- Fayre**


	2. Chapter 2

**This is a little longer but not very long by any stretch of the imagination. It's a little morbid, but I'm a morbid person (souless actually). It's obviously from a different point of view (Marik's) and is very important to the plot (which I'm not sure of at this point, you probably have a better idea than I do). Enjoy. **

The blond rolled over, as sunlight streamed through the window, too early waking him up. He looked at the picture on his bedside table, put it down then placed it back up again. He looked at both the smiling faces and just wished he was the boy in the picture. He wished he was the boy he was 6 weeks ago. He pushed away all the memories good, bad, and horrible. This was always hard, the getting up. After waking up to the same person for 4 years it wasn't easy to wake up and have reality jamming a knife in your heart. Marik placed both feet on the floor and stood up, heading to the kitchen for coffee. As he sat, and the table he remembered dinner parties, fights, make-up's, but mornings just drinking coffee, eating before they headed off in the morning. The last morning was always on his mind.

"_You ready to go honey?" Malik asked standing by the door as Marik tore down the hallway pulling a shirt on. _

"_Yes, yes let's go." He tripped over a shoe and was sent tumbling into Malik's arms. He stood up, opened the door and walked out._

_They had just arrived at Marik's office before Malik passed out. His head hit the ground so hard it shattered his skull on impact into 6 pieces. Marik started screaming for someone to call paramedics. In the ten minutes it took for an ambulance to arrive the part of Malik's brain that controlled movement was destroyed, in the forty it took for him to get into surgery his brain was almost completely destroyed. He died on the operating table. The doctors were forced to ask Marik for permission to resuscitate him because he would have been brain dead for the rest of his life. Marik refused. Three days later he was forced to bury the person he had spent six short years with, who he had wanted to spend the rest of his life with. _

He started to feel sick, dizzy. His world was spiralling out of control. He shut his eyes against the images that were blurring before him. Bit his tongue until he tasted blood, dug his fingernails into his palms until he gained some control. He breathed in, and then had to remind himself to breathe out. His coffee had grown cold in front of him. He stood up and changed into jeans and a button down shirt. Marik took a different path to his office, and went in through the back door. His desk offered a little comfort; he placed the picture he had of Malik down. His secretary Anzu came in after a few minutes and told him about the new listings and which homes he had showings in that day. She gave him a business card which read:

Mirage Counselling

Certified Therapists & Psychiatrists

Y618-380-5472

"One of the guys who plays at my club owns the place. You might want to call them, I think they could help."

"Great Anzu, could you just stop trying to help with my life and start putting together some information on these new listings."

"I'm just trying to help. I'm worri..."

"Get out now if you still want a job."

Anzu left. Marik placed the card in his wallet. He looked at his first showing it was for a lovely little apartment down by Anzu's club it wasn't a far walk from here and walking seemed to keep him a little more normal. He left by the back door. He had reached the door of the apartment building when he heard screeching tires, and a terrible crunching noise.

**Crunch, crunch, crunch. Hmn I wonder what could be crunching? Bones perhaps? Or mabye Marik's hearing things? Then again someone could be eating cereal very loudly from their apartment. But the bones would be your best bet. Anywho more soon. **

**xo-Fayre**


	3. Chapter 3

**This could be unpleasant to read. I would like to apologise in advance. Enjoy. **

Ryou awoke suddenly. He was cold, and Bakura wasn't there to keep him warm. He could smell coffee, and food. He smiled; he loved it when Bakura cooked seeing as Bakura could cook. He put on a shirt and made his way down the hall just as Bakura came to wake him. Bakura reached out to Ryou who was grateful for the extra warmth. Bakura slid one of his hands under Ryou's shirt and rubbed the small of his back. Ryou kissed him back deeply, tasting the coffee on his lips; he wrapped his legs around Bakura's waist and let himself be carried to the chair that sat in the corner of the sitting room. Bakura pulled Ryou onto his lap. He kissed his neck, ears, and very gently kissed his eyelids. They slowed down, but stayed there for another half-an-hour. Ryou rested his head on Bakura's chest and breathed him in. Bakura held Ryou tightly in his arms, and felt the rise and fall of breath.

"You hungry gorgeous?" Bakura whispered into Ryou's hair. The other boy nodded. Bakura slid out from underneath Ryou and went into the kitchen. Ryou came to sit at the very small table they had which was mostly covered with patients files. He quickly separated his from Bakura's and placed them in neat piles by the door. Bakura placed two plates on the table and two mugs of coffee. Ryou was suddenly ravenous, and started eating the Spitoule (and Italian toast and coffee breakfast) quickly. Bakura chose that moment to tell Ryou that his first appointment was in 40 minutes.

"Oh bloody hell, I can't be late. This is her first appointment." He crammed the slice of toast in his mouth and headed to the shower.

"Don't drown now!" Bakura called after him, sitting down to eat his own breakfast.

Twenty minutes later the two started out towards their office, which was a good fifteen minutes away.

"So are we heading out of town this weekend? Or should we stay here?"

"Neither of us have any appointments, that I remember. Unless you've gone and scheduled someone for me again Ryou without my knowing."

"I only did that once."

"On the weekend we were getting married, silly."

"Oh will you get over it already, it all worked out."

"Yes but because the groom was fifteen minutes late the bride had a panic attack."

"Oh shut up." Ryou blushed.

"You love me anyways."

"You'd like to think that wouldn't you?"

At that moment Bakura pushed Ryou back hard. A SUV hit Bakura and pulled him underneath the tires. The driver went several hundred yards before stopping. The driver a young woman ran down the street to where Ryou was pulling Bakura into his arms.

"I love you, I love you, I love you. Baby honey, stay with me. 'Kura babe no, your fine.

The woman was calling the paramedics. Marik was running across the street. Ryou was crying, screaming. Bakura was dying in his arms. Ryou was covered in blood. The paramedics arrived, and Marik pulled a thrashing Ryou away as they placed the maimed and unrecognizable Bakura into a body bag. Marik held Ryou back until the boy couldn't fight back anymore and just gave up, and slumped onto the pavement, crying hysterically. He was shaking so bad he scraped up his arms and hands. Marik crouched down and pulled the boy against him. Ryou sobbed on Marik's shoulder for about an hour. Marik just held him. He had felt like this when Malik had died he had just held it in. Slowly the boy just quieted down, giving Marik the chance to call Anzu.

"Come to the first showing, and bring the car." He told her.

"You were supposed to be finished there 40..."

"Just do it."

When Anzu showed up she ran straight to Marik and Ryou.

"Help me get him in the car." They half dragged, half lifted Ryou into the passenger seat of Marik's light blue Thunderbird.

"What happened?" Anzu asked, he eyes full of concern.

"There was a car accident, the person he was with died."

"Marik that's one of the guys who plays at my club, was he with a guy with similar hair?"

"Yes..."

"That was his partner, oh no, I should do something."

"Look Anzu just cancel my appointments for the next couple of days, I'm going to take him up to my sisters, she's back in Egypt for a little while."

"Okay, just look after Ryou please."

"That's his name, Ryou? I will Anzu."

"Yes, and you had better."

"Goodbye." Marik got in the car and started the engine. He looked at Ryou.

"It'll get better, but for now I'll look after you."

Ryou nodded slightly before closing his eyes and tipping his head back. He mouthed words to himself, and then began crying all over again as Marik drove him father and father away from the accident.

**I'm really sorry. That's the worst of it for now. No one else dies, we just get to re-live it. But there are good things to come aswell so just stick with me. Once again sorry, but 'Kura had to go. **

**xo-Fayre**


	4. Chapter 4

**It get's a little happier I promise. Or at least not as heartbreaking. Not yet anyways. **

In the hour it took for Marik to drive out to his sisters, Ryou hardly calmed down. He was pale, pale, and sickly. His wide brown eyes were swimming in tears constantly. He had curled up almost into a ball, and just rocked back and forth on the seat. Marik recognized the signs. He had felt the same way, and still did almost constantly. There was also this evil part of him that liked seeing the boy suffer so much, to see him pining for something he had lost so horrifically. Then he bit it back remembering how much he had wanted someone to comfort him.

He turned down the road Ishizu lived on, trying to work out his feelings. But he was to torn by his own grief and by the blubbering mass in his car, to think properly. He parked the car, somewhat horribly before wondering how to get Ryou into the apartment. He opened the door of the car, and was surprised by the fact that Ryou could stand however shakily. Marik gave him a little push to get him to walk (talking didn't seem to have much effect on the boy) before unlocking the door, and leading him down the hallway to Ishizu's. After making sure the boy was sitting on the couch; he cleared the spare room of all sharp or dangerous objects. Marik placed a stack of clothes that were not drenched in blood on the bed before shepherding Ryou into the room and closing the door.

Marik dug in his pocket for the Mirage Counselling business card (forgetting that Ryou and Bakura owned it) and dialled the number.

"Good afternoon Mirage Counselling, how may I assist you?"

"I would like to set up two appointments with a grief counsellor."

"We currently do not know the current location of Ryou out primary grief counsellor, and the person who would normally take his place died earlier this morning."

'I have Ryou, I-I'm a a a friend of his." They didn't really know each other but it didn't seem to matter too much.

"Oh thank-god, this place had been in chaos trying to find him. Then we heard about Bakura and oh dear. How is he?"

"How do you think? Not well, awful, terrible, horrible give me a few more nouns."

"Ah easy there I was just asking, call us when you know if he's coming back anytime soon." The secretary hung up before Marik could respond.

The blond placed his ear against the door to the spare room; he could hear the faint shaky breath of the brown eyed boy. He didn't know what to do, really. He remembered wanting to be alone, but not wanting to be by himself at the same time, he remembered not really knowing what reality was, and what was just dreaming. In the end he walked away from the door and went to sit on the balcony. He stayed in the sun feeling it warm him, calm him down. He stayed there keeping his mind clear as best he could. He felt better knowing someone was in the other room, even if it wasn't Malik and that person was an emotional wreck. He knew he would have to go back sometime but for now he was happy just not feeling, not thinking, hardly being; taking just enough oxygen to stay alive. He was so focused, so calm that he didn't notice Ryou join him on the balcony. He was a little shocked to say the least when he opened his eyes; because he had the feeling he wasn't alone. The boy had changed, and washed his face. His eyes were a little glassy but no longer red.

"Hey." Marik sat up and leaned forward.

"Hey, ahh who are you?" Ryou asked.

"Marik Ishtar, I saw what happened earlier and thought I could help."

"Thanks, but I think maybe I should go home. I shouldn't be here."

Marik realized what was going on. Ryou was so overcome with grief he didn't quite remember what happened. Which meant Marik would have to tell him. Shit.

"Do you remember what happened earlier today?"

"Just parts of it. But I know something happened and I know it wasn't good."

Marik slid over to sit beside Ryou, ready to drive the steel knife of reality through his heart. It was twisted and sick he knew. It was wrong and Marik knew it. Ryou looked at Marik, obviously trusting him, obviously needing him.

"Bakura is dead."

...

...

...

...

...

Marik looked around in surprise. He wasn't sure what to do. If he should tell the boy he was right. Or lie and tell him he was wrong. But then Ryou placed his head in Marik's lap and lay down. Marik though about getting up, leaving the boy to his misery. Marik also liked the fact he was needed again, and wanted again. Ryou didn't know about his past, and what happened with Malik so he couldn't understand the turmoil he was putting Marik through right now. It was like cheating on Malik with someone else's partner. So it felt wrong, but it also felt really, really right, almost perfect. It would be if Marik hadn't basically kidnapped Ryou, after Bakura died.

Marik reached out and placed a hand on the other boys head. He ruffled his hair a little bit, and smiled a sad little smile. The brown eyed boy turned over so that he was looking up at Marik. His eyes widened and he sat up. He ran his hand through his hair and took a deep breath.

"I need to go home, I just. I just lost my husband."

"Calm down a little, I was just trying to help."

"You don't know me; why the bloody hell would you help me?"

"Six weeks ago, I lost Malik. He and I had been together for six years. I saw the accident and thought you might need someone."

"You were right in thinking I needed someone, but please I think it would be a lot better if I was home. I need to make some funeral arrangements."

"For someone who was an emotional wreck forty minutes ago you're really calm now."

"I'm a grief counsellor; I've had so much practice helping other people that I can help myself. I'd like to help you if you'd let me."

"Let's get you home."

"Running isn't going to help. It's just going to hurt more and more."

"Get in the car." Marik opened the door and waited for Ryou to walk out.

"You know I'm right, which is the sad part of this. You're so afraid to seem weak, or venerable that you would rather put off everyone who has the ability to make your life just a little easier."

"What are you doing in my head?" Marik was shocked and a little appalled. He had never felt more violated.

"I'll get in the car now."

**See not so bad. **

**xo-Fayre**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"Um who the hell are you?" Bakura woke up to a blond shaking him gently. "Where the hell is Ryou?" He pushed the blond away from him, and stood up. He seemed to be lying in the street outside his apartment. There was no Ryou, no SUV, and no people. Well there was a few, the lady who he had coffee with every Tuesday waiting for him. People he said hello to when he passed them coming home from work. He had never seen a New York street so quiet. It was unnerving.

"How many do you see?" The blond asked from behind Bakura.

"What do you mean?" This was New York, for all Bakura knew this could be some psychopath intent on murdering him. Normally this wouldn't bother him; there would be plenty of people around. But somehow this particular street was deserted.

"People, how many do you see?"

"Are they shutting down this street for a parade or something should we leave?"

"You're in denial." The blond responded in a singsong voice.

"I'm not denying anything! The only question you asked me was about people and how many I could see. Why am I wasting my time with you?" He turned and walked away.

"You're dead."

"What. Do. You. Mean. Boy." Bakura growled turning back to the blond.

"You are dead, unfortunately and so am I."

"Will you SHUT UP!" This was some sick joke, or a nightmare, but he could not be dead.

There was a black SUV, with people surrounding it in front of him. All of a sudden he was behind it. He saw his body being zipped into a black bag. He heard a terrible screechy noise and turned around to see Ryou being restrained by some blond. The silver haired boy had tears streaming down his face, and was making this inhuman, heartbreaking, soul shattering cry. He saw the boy collapse, and Bakura ran to his side. But he couldn't touch him, console him. Then slowly, slowly everything went still, and began to fade.

"Gah no. Wait where did they go?" Bakura looked confusedly at the spot where Ryou and the blond had been, and then at the now empty street.

"You really need to stop. Otherwise you're going to see your own death over and over and over. It gets a little depressing after a while." The blond chirped from beside Bakura.

"Ryou where is Ryou?" he asked hoping he could make some use of the annoying blond.

"Ryou was the silver haired one? He went off somewhere with Marik."

"Off where?"

"I'm not really sure, Marik just took him and the car and left."

"HE WHAT?" What if he is a murderer or a rapist or..."

"Do you always overreact?"

"I'AM NOT OVERREACTING!"

"STOP YELLING!"

"Well, with me dead there is no one to protect Ryou, and seeing him... seeing him like that. So venerable and scared to think I did that to him. I loved him so much... that boy was my life." He started to cry which was very out of character for him, but death can change people.

"Don't cry please, you can still look after him."

"How? I'm dead, he's alive. And he's staying that way, so don't get any ideas."

The blond tilted his head, looking at Bakura with a shocked expression. "Oh no, I wouldn't hurt anyone. You can do what I've been doing. Follow him around watch over him, that kind of thing."

"You mean I can make sure he's okay."

"Yep."

"Oh thank god. So how do I find him?"

"Do you live around here?"

"Just a few blocks over."

"He has to go home sometime, why don't we wait for him there."

Bakura eyed the blond. "We?"

"He went off with my husband, so he will probably come back with my husband."

Bakura sighed. "Fine follow me."

The two boys set off, the streets eerily quiet. All Bakura could see was people he knew. People he saw all the time. It was freaking him out, but it seemed like he could only see people in the afterlife that he sort of cared about in his (or what was) life. They rounded the corner to see Ryou walking into the apartment building with a attractive (and very flirtatious) blond.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

-car ride-

"Just stop here" Ryou told the blond pointing to a spot by the curb.

"You don't have an underground lot?"

"We didn't need a spot, we don't have a car." Ryou responded slipping out of the door. Marik got out and caught him before he could get to the door.

"Oh so your coming now? I really just want to spend some time alone right now."

"But I just..."

"I know, but I just lost Bakura. So go please. "

"No, I'm here now."

"Urrghh." Ryou walked into the apartment, and he felt something, a strong protective presence, and what felt like an arm around his waist. He turned quickly thinking it was Marik. He almost tripped but steadied himself against the wall.

"Easy there boy." Marik raised an eyebrow. "What's chasing you?"

"Why did you grab me?"

"I didn't touch you, you would know if I did." The blond stepped forward wrapped an arm around the other boy, and placed one hand in his hair.

-switch-

Bakura stepped forward sneaking into the apartment between the two boys. He placed an arm around Ryou which surprisingly he could still do. Ryou turned so quickly Bakura lost his grip, and as he reached for the falling boy Malik came and pushed him away.

"You can't do that! You're scaring him."

They turned and watched as Marik stepped forward, and placed his hands gently on Ryou.

"What is he doing? Get your hands off my boy." Bakura snapped, he started forward only to be stopped by Malik.

"He never looked at me like that."

Bakura turned to see the blond looking at the two standing in front of them. Ryou reaching up to place his arms around Marik's neck, tears forming in his eyes. Bakura couldn't take it. He stepped behind Ryou and ran his hands along his sides, and began tracing the planes of Ryou's stomach, the dips and curves. The boy shuddered and pushed Marik away. Bakura stood there arms around Ryou chin resting on his shoulder, as Marik left followed by Malik.

-switch-

Ryou reached up, not too sure what he was doing. He liked the fact someone was with him but it wasn't like Bakura. Not as soft, not as tender. Then he felt it, the hands skimming his body, fingers making their way along his muscles. He pushed Marik away.

"Leave please leave."

"I don't..."

"Go now please."

Marik realized Ryou was serious and sort of backed out of the apartment. Ryou began breaking down again. He ran to the bedroom and took his wedding picture off the nightstand. He had been laughing as Bakura kissed his cheek, teasing him about being the blushing bride. He took off his engagement ring on which was engraved "una stella cadenti è sceso dal vostro cuore" which in Italian becomes "a falling star fell from your heart" and then his wedding band also engraved "e sbarcati nei miei occhi" "and landed in my eyes." It was a line from a song that Ryou loved and seeing as they met and were married in Italy it fit; cheesy and as sappy as the engraving may be. Ryou kissed both rings and placed them on top of the picture. He clutched at his heart, trying to dull the pain a little. He went back into the sitting room and curled in the chair that he and Bakura had been in that very morning. It smelled a little like Bakura. The tears threatened to fall again and he let them. The silver haired boy didn't know that Marik was outside the door and that he could hear Ryou crying. Marik tried the door and found it unlocked. The blond settled himself on the floor to watch over the other boy for a little while. He fell asleep not long after Ryou wandered down the hall to his room incoherently. But not until he followed Ryou and had slipped into the bed beside him did he sleep.

-switch-

Bakura stayed as close to Ryou as possible. It was so hard to let go of his boy. They had been together since the age of sixteen. He saw a lot of himself in Marik, who granted wasn't soft and careful. He didn't know that Ryou liked to be held close, or that Ryou had a tendency to kiss until you wanted him and then pull away, and run off somewhere. Bakura waited until Ryou was asleep before lying beside him with an arm wrapped around him, as he did almost every night they had lived together. Then Marik appeared in the doorway. The blond came to lay beside Ryou and Bakura felt somewhat uncomfortable to have the blond sleeping sort of in his shadow (he didn't really have a body). So he sat on the floor beside the edge of the bed with his head leaning back against Ryou's stomach. If that wasn't odd enough Malik decided to join the party. Malik just sat against the wall opposite Bakura.

"Can we sleep?" Bakura asked.

"Not sleep really, but you can sort of re-live memories. It's hard to get deep enough inside yourself to find them though. Trying not to re-live your own death is hard too."

"How do I re-live something if I'm dead?"

"Close your eyes."

Bakura closed one and kept the other trained on the blond whose eyes were shut.

"Now just clear your head and let your thoughts wander."

Clearing your head when you had died about ten hours earlier was not the simplest thing. The sliver haired boy struggled for a while after the blond had gone quiet. He started to see vividly meeting Ryou on Moreno the glass-blowing island of Italy. He allowed himself to be taken back to that time, that place, that life.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Rolling over to see a man you met the day before is always a little shocking. When the last thing you remember is telling him to get out of your apartment, not inviting him into your bed it turns out to be a unsettling experience. Ryou started scrambling backwards, causing him to become tangled in his blankets. The boy trying to escape the impostor in his bed, struggled more pulling the blond into a heap on the floor while he became free and managed to retreat down the hall.

"Huffgh." Was the only sound Marik managed to make as he woke up to his head hitting a solid floor. He saw Ryou dart out the doorway and down the hall. Marik then was locked in his own fight with the blankets which had wrapped around his legs and torso. He tried to kick his way free but only managed to restrict his breathing by wrapping them tighter around his chest. After a good five minutes of wrestling he was released from the fabric. He followed Ryou down the hall. The brown eyed boy was sitting once again in the armchair.

"Did I tell you to leave?" Ryou asked even though he was overly confused.

"You have some arrangements to make." Marik decided to continue on as though there was no problem with the fact he had violated Ryou's wishes.

"Did I tell you to leave?" He asked again.

"Did Bakura want to be cremated or buried?"

"Cremated, now tell me. Were you supposed to leave?"

"Yes, now where would you like to scatter his ashes?"

"Then why didn't you leave? Italy, we lived there until we moved here four months ago."

"I left then heard you crying. I came back. Any particular place in Italy?"

"How did you end up in my bed? The Bridge of Sighs, Venice."

"I followed you. Now I'm going to make a few calls. Why don't you get us something to eat?"

Marik stepped out on to the teeny tiny deck that was (sort of) attached to the apartment building. He started calling people using a cell phone, and walking back and forth. Luckily he avoided the missing plank but in doing so another broke, leaving a sizable gap in the middle. Ryou put on a pot of coffee, and found the box of baked goods that he and Bakura picked up every Sunday morning from the local bakery. It was only Tuesday, and the box was still mostly full. He placed it on the table, followed by coffee mugs, sugar, and milk. The thought of eating made him feel dizzy. He listened to Marik who was arguing with someone on the so-called porch.

"No Anzu, where is his body?"

"What do you mean you can't release that information? You mean the police won't release the information. To you. Well who will they release it to? Ryou and how is he supposed to contact them? Great yes fine."

He hung up. Dialled again.

"Hello, James. This is Marik. Oh I'm fine thank-you. I'd like to set up another cremation appointment. No, it's not another member of my family. What's your earliest opening? Friday, yes that's wonderful. I'll call you with the location of the body. Oh and what day will the ashes be ready? Sunday, excellent goodbye.

He dialled again.

"How much would it be for two tickets to Venice, about a week from now? Six hundred a seat! And this flight is Monday. I'll purchase the tickets."

He started relaying bank information. He then put his phone back in his pocket, and after (carefully) jumping over the gap came back inside.

"Why would you book two tickets? I truly hope you are not under the impression you are coming with me to Italy."

Well, you would be disappointed." He took the pot of coffee from the kitchen and poured some into his and Ryou's cups. Ryou took a sugar lump and watched it dissolve sadly.

"I'll pay you for the tickets." He said finally.

"No you won't. The cremation costs about three thousand dollars and I've always wanted to go to Europe. I'll let you pay for the hotel."

"I own a villa in Venice, we'll stay there."

Marik took a Danish from the box tore it in half and placed some in front of Ryou.

" You own a villa in Venice yet live in this. It's New York; there are always plenty of nice apartments."

"We were still looking for the perfect place."

Marik scoffed slightly and looked at Ryou. "Perfect, no place is ever perfect. You might as well stop looking. You should eat, you like you're about pass out."

Ryou looked down pastry in front of him. He broke of a piece and placed it in his mouth. It was like trying to eat a pillow. He swallowed as the room started to turn. He reached for the coffee cup in front and started to gulp it down, slowly the world righted itself then started spin the other way. He placed his head in his hands and closed his eyes. After a while when the nausea went away, he looked up. Marik was watching him.

"Are you okay now? Can I get you something?"

"I'm fine."

Good, because you have to phone New York General Hospital. Then we have to identify the body."

"Oh-okay."

"Man up will you! He is dead, gone, finished. You unfortunately have to deal with the son of a bitch now, but getting all emotional now is not going to change things."

Marik stopped, his death related anger slowly fading. He looked at the shock on Ryou's face; felt a conflicting rush of pleasure followed by a sickening note of guilt. Unsure of what to do he swallowed his coffee to quickly scalding his mouth. Ryou just left to change , coming back after a few minutes hold a stack of clothes for Marik.

"Ryou let me apolo..."

"Just leave it alone, change while I call the hospital." He handed the clothes to Marik and sent him down the hall to put on the clean clothes. Ryou dialled the number for the hospital and was put through some gruelling questions by a nurse who seemed intent on upsetting him. He made it through relatively unscathed and was told to come down to identify the body.

Marik led Ryou down to the car; the drive was tense, and quiet. Ryou was spinning his engagement ring round and round on his finger. Marik wanted to tell him to stop but it seemed to give the boy some comfort. Getting Ryou out of the car and into the hospital was more of a feat. In the end because Marik was afraid of Ryou passing out he carried him in. The viewing room was cold and uncomfortable. Ryou was shivering so much his teeth chattered. Marik placed an arm around him and nodded at the nurse to pull back the cover.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Bakura was still enjoying his memories when Marik fell into his lap (well through his lap). Bakura looked around trying to find Malik or Ryou. The blond ghost was looking at him from where he had been sitting last night.

"Ryou's down the hall." He told Bakura who hurried out of the room. He heard Malik laughing as Marik tried to free himself from the blankets.

Bakura found Ryou sitting in the armchair (which was there only piece of furniture besides the small table and chairs, so where else was he supposed to sit?) he seemed a little shocked but not entirely so, and he was probably still a little asleep. Malik came down the hall and stood beside Bakura.

"Marik wanted to come back to make sure Ryou was okay, and he's just lonely. He doesn't want to hurt Ryou." Malik placed a hand on Bakura's shoulder. He expected the other boy to push it away but the brown eyed boy just placed his hand over it. "I know, but I worry. He just means so much to me."

"Can I show you something?"

"What could you possibly have to show me? We are dead."

"That doesn't mean very much, seeing as we still happen to reside on this earth."

"Fine, but what about Ryou?"

Marik came down the hall at this point, and started to talk to Ryou. "He'll be okay, Marik will look after him."

"How do you know?" Bakura asked. He didn't entirely trust the blond, but he hadn't really given him any reason not to and Bakura felt a little guilty for it.

"I know Marik, and I know that he couldn't hurt someone like Ryou; someone like me."

Bakura was a little taken aback by this sentence, but he didn't show it. Instead he said "Show me what you want but just do it quickly." Malik took his hand and lead him out of the apartment.

It was odd walking in this space, you didn't really move but you world around you moved. Colours were much more vivid or muted and Bakura could only see people he knew when he was living. The people he didn't know he guessed were people Malik knew. As time passed around them Bakura noticed that the general hospital was getting closer and closer. He wondered why they were going there unless...

"You're not taking me to see my..."

"Yes I am, Ryou's going to be here to identify it soon and I think maybe you seeing it might help you get some peace and fully understand that you are dead."

"I understand that."

"Oh sorry I misspoke, accept that you are dead. You really need to accept that you can't help Ryou anymore."

"What's your excuse for hanging around Marik? Or is accepting that he might just be ready to move on with his life, too much for you to handle?" Bakura was angry at the blond for leading him on, with all the self righteousness crap. He didn't know where else to go so he turned and walked into the hospital.

"Bakura, wait..."

"No! You want me to trust you when you're just some blond slut hitting on me, and forcing your partner on my Ryou. I don't want to be dead and I don't want to leave the one thing that was good in my life alone because for all I know he could end here with me! I for one don't want that." (Damn go on with your bad self Bakura)

"I'm sorry, it's just I miss Marik so much; and I know I can't have him but maybe I could have someone else. Maybe I could have you?"

"Did you not listen to me about the hitting on me thing? I thought I was implying that I wanted you to stop."

"Marik never looked at me the way he looks at Ryou, and I think you know that Ryou likes him too. Marik needs to move on and Ryou, if he's anything like me it never hurts to have someone there for you."

"You and your god dammed heartfelt speeches. Now let's go find the morgue."

The two found the morgue quite easily, and only had to wait a few minutes for the nurse to hang up the phone and open one of the refrigerated doors. She pulled out the long metal slat and carefully transferred the body onto a clean plain white gurney she wheeled it into a small cold room on the other side of the window that separated the viewing room from the morgue. The nurse went to get a sheet to cover the body leaving Malik and Bakura alone.

"I will just wait for you here." Malik stepped back as the other boy walked forward."

It was odd seeing himself like that, eyes closed, hair washed and brushed so it lay flat. The strangest thing was the wounds. Even though they were stitched and clean there was a lot. One like a tire pattern ran across his chest and arms. One of his legs was bruised and broken. His head was a little indented from where it had cracked on one side.

He saw his wedding ring, wallet and keys lying on a small tray on the other side of the glass. He looked at them remembering what they felt like for a while before turning back to look once again at his body. The nurse had covered it. He was gone unable to be seen by his own eyes, waiting for someone to come and say "Yes that's him." To breathe a little life in to the dead.


	9. Chapter 9

**So I haven't added anything in a while. I apologize, but I have been busy. Going to a little con known as Anime Evolution, and working on some acting stuff. It's a really short chapter, but I like it. **

Marik wasn't sure what he was expecting, not for Ryou to keeps his eyes closed. It was kind of against the point of the whole "identify the body" bit if you can't see the body.

"Ryou."

"Yes."

"Will you just open your eyes then this will be over. Come on, open them."

"No I can't. I can't see him."

"Just open your fucking eyes." Marik growled losing his patience. Ryou's eyes flew open and all he saw was Marik, the blond was standing in front of him. The silver haired boy relaxed a little, and Marik moved aside and got ready for Ryou's reaction. He walked forward and stood at the glass tears streaming down his face. Marik asked the nurse if the other boy would be allowed inside. She nodded and he showed Ryou the door. He turned away allowing Ryou to have a moment with his lover.

The first thing Ryou did was fix his hair. It was so unnatural to see it lying flat. He loved how the silky strands felt in his fingers. He traced the stitched seams along Bakura's body along his neck and up to his face. He leaned down and kissed him one more time. For the last time.

When he went back into the view room the sadistic nurse was there and ready to tell him how Bakura died. She let him sit down, and after handing him the wedding band, wallet and keys starts to tell him with awful embellishments about the death. How the tires had ripped through his skin and crushed his ribs, causing several of them to puncture his lungs. The gash in the side of his head had caused a major skull fracture that had pierced his brain and caused internal bleeding. He had died slowly and painfully. He couldn't have been she added (as if it helped).

When she was finished Ryou took one last look at Bakura, before leaving. He felt lighter somehow, a little better knowing he was gone. He still missed him terribly but he felt he could move on, until he remembered them.

The. Five. Stages. Of. Grief.

Denial.

Anger.

Bargaining.

Depression.

Acceptance.

He felt none of these things, yes he felt sad. But he didn't deny anything and he didn't feel angry. He was okay for now and he didn't want to go through any stages of grief. He was a grief councillor for god's sake. He had seen how horrible these things were to go through, he wanted avoid them at all costs. Which reminded him of work.

"Oh dear."

"What is it."

"My job, our office it doesn't have... no one's there to run it.

"You have a secretary don't you?"

"Yes, but no one to see patients, except for the apprentices and they're not ready to see people by themselves.

"What are you going do?"

"Marik, you really don't do so well when it comes to helping people."

"I'm not the councillor now am I."

"Turn left here and park in the underground, I should go in."

"This should be good." But he turned and parked. Followed Ryou to his office, the place was about as chaotic as (excuse the pun) a morgue. There was secretary typing at her desk, and a young woman sitting in a chair talking to a young man.

"Marissa, why is it so calm here?"

"Well both apprentices have taken quite well to dealing with the minor cases; we referred everyone else to a place downtown. Also as we are fully operational again they are all willing to come back. "

"Oh okay, I'm going to be away for about two more weeks."

"Just two? I think a little more time would be advisable Ryou."

"I'll think about it. But two weeks defiantly."

"Don't worry about it, take as much time as you need." She smiled that infectious smile that all secretaries seem to have except it was tainted, slightly with sadness. Like a drop of oil in water.

"I'm just going to grab a few things before my friend and I go."

Ryou walked into (his office) Marik assumed. He waited for about oh all of five seconds before getting impatient and following the other boy. Ryou was sitting at a desk. He had his head in his hands; a simple sign of defeat, loss, giving up. Ryou heard Marik at the door and looked up. The soft brown eyes were ringed with red. Lines had appeared on his face, aging him and showing really truly how deep love runs into the very pores of us, it spills into our blood, and taints our soul.


	10. Chapter 10

He never thought he would see such a beautiful sight. Orange, red, and yellow snapped and licked at his body; turning pale skin to blackened dust. It was a thing of pure beauty, to be whole one minute but a element of the earth the next. How humbling. How suiting to how he died.

Bakura was sitting cross-legged in the fire chamber of the crematory, watching his body burn. He couldn't bear to see Ryou again. It felt like dying all over again. So here he sat in flames, watching the blackened dust of his body turn to white ash.

The flames slowly died down and a young girl opened the chamber door. She couldn't have been more than fifteen years old. What a horrible job to have, to see so much death so young. She took a very clean soft brush and began to sweep the ashes into a metal box. Odd how someone could fit into a box, in death so many things changed. Bakura crawled out of the burning chamber and stepped down to hear the girl whisper "Who did you leave behind? A family? Perhaps a daughter like me? "

"No." Bakura whispered in her ear knowing full well she couldn't hear him. He felt she deserved an answer. "I left behind nothing, nothing important anyways." She tenderly closed the lid on the box. A small white card was taped on top on which a serial number was written. Bakura was nothing now, no more than a pile of ash and a number. He watched the girl walk away, carrying the box away to a room somewhere where he felt no desire to go. Malik was waiting for him outside, the blond was still annoying but they were both a little shocked by Tuesday's events. Bakura would have loved to get his hands around the neck if the blond slut Ryou was messing around with. Until he saw Ryou's face, then he wanted to get his hands around Ryou's neck. Malik had the good sense to distract him by resorting to any means necessary (but had not been so necessary for the days they spent together). Finally Bakura had decided he wanted to be at his cremation and torn himself away from the blond. Images started to form again, he tried hard to direct his chain of thought somewhere else but he was already seeing the betrayal again.

Ryou had sat down at his desk and started shuffling paper trying to get together some files but someone had been in and rearranged things differently. Most of his files were missing, along with Bakura's. He had no idea where anything was anymore. His eyes were swimming with tears which he held back. He dropped his head into his hands. He tried to breath but it felt like someone had wrapped a belt around his lungs and was tightening it. Marik walked in and saw Ryou, he looked so upset. Bakura wasn't sure what to do. He didn't have much power anymore, at least not over the real world anymore. Marik took Ryou's face in his own hands, and very softly brushed his lip over Ryou's. The saltiness of Ryou's tears mixed with the saltiness of his own as Ryou kissed him back softly at first, slowly building up momentum, before pulling back to breath. Bakura watched feeling anger and betrayal build up in his chest before he kicked the desk which did nothing. He tried to pull Marik away but of course that also did nothing. Then Malik hit him at a full run which sent him backward a little, seeing as Bakura was already a little surprised, Malik kissed him. It was short but enough to take the other boy's focus from the two living people. Bakura pulled the blond close and kissed him back, and even after Marik and Ryou left they stayed for days in that office (it 's not like they could disturb anyone).

Bakura was still infuriated by Ryou but Malik was so adorable and sweet, and as odd as it was, and as annoying as the blond could be Bakura loved him. He still wasn't willing to forgive Ryou; the boy would have to pay somehow. It was only a matter of time before Ryou died; he could only live so long. He figured he only had about sixty years or so to wait (or maybe a SUV could help him out). Bakura went to find Malik and saw Ryou coming towards the crematory. He was walking alone. He said hello to a young girl and handed her a slip of paper. She led him into a back room. Malik ran to Bakura, took his hand and dragged him after the silver haired boy.

"No... I don't care... let me go... Malik stop." He protested but Malik kept dragging him.

They entered a brightly lit room that had rows of shelves along the back. Boxes like the one Bakura's ashes had been swept into were stacked three high. A small desk with a register and a calculator was placed slightly to one side. A few chairs surrounded it. Ryou and the girl sat on opposite sides of the desk. The girl had a receipt book in front of her and was writing out the cost of cremation neatly. She read the contents of the bill out to Ryou:

"So body pick up, cremation, the box, certificate to get the ashes through customs, papers that allow you to scatter the ashes, service fee, taxes and taxes."

"I would guess so."

'It works out to three thousand two hundred and fifteen. Oh and twelve cents."

"I was told you only accept cash?"

"Well cash is preferred but cheques are fine."

"Ahh can I pay by cheque?"

"Of course, make it out to James Marlow."

Ryou took out his pocketbook and began to write out a cheque.

"How old are you anyways, to work in place like this? It's a little morbid."

"I worked here since I was adopted from the orphanage I lived at. My parents died you see so I work for my adoptive father."

"Oh my I am so sorry... for bring that... it I... it up." Ryou left the check and backed out of the room stammering until he hit the door. He simply squeaked "Sorry." Before leaving. He returned a few minutes later to collect Bakura's ashes from the girl who was waiting for him.

Bakura watched this whole episode unfold. He started following Ryou again who headed back to their (or rather Ryou's) apartment. It took him a good hour and forty minutes to walk back. He entered the apartment alone, where he packed and spent the night alone, much to Bakura's delight. He lay down beside Ryou again that night and talked to him. First yelling and screaming at him for (sort of) cheating on him, then apologizing for (sort of) cheating on Ryou. He talked about nothing at all for hours until an alarm started blaring at five in the morning. Two chocolate eyes opened and stared straight at Bakura before rolling over to shut off the alarm. Bakura watched him while he changed and checked his passport. The door opened and Malik rushed in followed my Marik.

"We have to go. We're late." He looked around at the apartment. Everything was packed into boxes.

"You moving or something?" He asked Ryou

"Yes, into the apartment above my office. It'll just be easier to work when I come back. I just packed everything and I'll move it when I come back." He took the handle of his suitcase and followed Marik out into the weak New York sunshine. Marik put his case in the trunk of the car.

"When does our flight leave?" Ryou asked as the blond pulled away from the curb.

"It leaves at seven, so we only have an hour to check in and get through security."

"You're sure you still want to come?"

"I do like to travel. Besides this way I don't have to pay rent." He smiled at Ryou who smiled back. Bakura and Malik, who had slipped into the back of the car, looked at each other.

"At least we don't have to pay airfare." Malik said causing Bakura to laugh a little.

"Yeah I would guess so."


	11. Chapter 11

Ryou, Marik soon found out did not like to fly. This fear of heights became apparent when Ryou (after burring his head Marik shoulder for the take off look up and caught a small glimpse of the ground. He promptly passed out. Marik sighed a little and aroused the boy.

"Sorry."

"Why didn't you tell me you didn't like flying?"

"I normally don't inform strange men of my fears."

"What about the men you sleep with?" Marik asked loud enough that several people broke off from their conversations to listen in on the two boys.

Bakura meanwhile was staring at them with a shocked expression. "But... he... we never... married first ... slept with... HIM... so soon!"

Malik shook his head before trying to talk some sense into Bakura. "Hold on a minute, it's not any different than what we did, just calm down a second."

"Ryou isn't a horny slut. I would jump anything that moves. Especially if it looks like you do."

"Excuse me..."

"Shut up so I can hear what their saying."

Malik stalked off obviously hurt and pissed off.

Marik dropped his voice and turned to Ryou after shooting a disapproving glance at everyone listening to them talk. "I do not like dishonesty. This is completely unacceptable."

"I'm sorry I didn't think it was such an issue."

"Of course it is! It involves your health."

"I just keep forgetting that you're not Bakura." Ryou looked up at Marik, who seemed speechless. The blond turned away. Bakura stepped forward to go to Ryou; then stopped. He moved past the two and followed Malik. He found him sitting at the back of the plane where two stewardesses were gossiping.

"Malik I didn't mean..."

"I'm not sure what you meant; I just want to know how you could say that. Could you say that to Ryou?"

"That's not the point here."

"Could you?" Malik asked again looking wide-eyed at Bakura.

"No, I couldn't."

"Then why waste your time with me? I have no interesting in being your bitch Bakura."

"Please let me apologize. I made a mistake. I'm infuriated and confused. This is a little difficult to handle. I don't know if being with you is the right thing to do."

Malik stood up. "Does that matter? Do you think Marik or Ryou asked themselves if they were doing the right thing? No, we are dead. What they do can't affect us and what we do can't affect them."

Marik had turned back to Ryou. "Is that why you're still with me; because I remind you of him?"

"No Marik that's not what I meant."

"Then tell me what you meant Ryou because I'm having a hard time believing I could have possibly loved you."

"I love you." Malik was standing beside Marik. "I loved you so much.

Bakura had edged his way closer to Ryou. "Babe it's okay. If you love him, tell him. If you want to be with him then it's fine. I'll be waiting for you to come back to me, and I hope that one day you will. I love you Ryou."

"Marik, I just don't know what I haven't told you. Bakura knew everything about me, that's the difference six years makes.

Bakura and Malik watched as the other two worked things out. Bakura wrapped his arm around Malik as Ryou rested his head on Marik's shoulder. The two blonds smiled waiting for the flight to end.


	12. Chapter 12

Marik awoke as the plane began its descent towards the airport. Ryou was still asleep and Marik had no plans to wake him and repeat the incident that occurred during takeoff. When the wheels finally hit the runway the blond shook Ryou gently. Two brown eyes opened and blinked several times in the bright Italian sunlight.

"Ciao." He said sitting up.

"What?" Marik asked looking confused.

"Ciao – it's hello in Italian. It's also goodbye. I'll teach you a few words, enough for you to get around. First I'd like to get off this airplane." They stood up and Marik let Ryou off before following him. The stewardess smiled at them as they walked by.

Obviously relived to be on ground again Ryou led Marik to get their bags. They encountered difficulty trying to get Bakura's ashes through security and customs.

"Documenti." said the security guard when Ryou asked for the box.

"The papers yes I have them here." Ryou handed them over and the guard looked confused.

"These not... _correggere_." The guard said in heavily accented English.

"What do you mean they are not correct? These were the only _documenti _given to me!"

"Not signed." The guard held out the papers and pointed to the bottom where the space for signature was blank. Ryou looking exasperated took the_ penna _the guard handed him and signed the forms.

"Graci." Ryou took the box from the guard who jammed the freshly signed forms onto a spike. The two boys hurried away, Marik pulling suitcases while Ryou took great care not to drop the box of ashes on the disgusting airport floor. When they finally exited the building and emerged into the crisp Italian afternoon Ryou discovered Marik's slight fear of water.

"Just get on the boat Marik. It's okay it's not going to sink."

But what if it moves?" I can't swim you know."

"It's not going to move that much. Just put one foot on the edge of the dock and the other in the boat."

Meanwhile Bakura was doubled over in laughter at the sight while Malik looked a little apprehensive.

"What if Ryou can't get him in the boat?"

"Ryou could charm snakes. H e'll get him in the boat.

Malik atarted to laugh to as Marik leapt looking a bit like a highly uncoordinated gazelle into the boat. It swayed a bit and Marik stood splay legged as though waiting for it sink.

"Your okay. The boat's okay now why don't you move aside and let some other people on." Ryou led Marik into the small ferry as three old ladies coming home from a day's shopping stepped quite gracefully into the boat. They smiled at Marik as he stood aside to let them pass. The boat took them to Venice where Ryou found a taxi that looked like a clown car. One death ride later they pulled (skidded) to a stop outside the villa. Marik got out looking neither pleased nor particularly bothered with his near death experience. He removed the luggage with some difficulty as Ryou paid the driver in Euros. It was impossible to see the villa from their vantage point and Marik was practically salivating to find out how Ryou had lived for...

"How long did you live in Italy for?"

"I lived in Japan until I was eight and lived here until a few months ago so for about fourteen years."

"How many languages is that? Three."

"Yup, my Japanese is a little sketchy though. I don't have much of a chance to speak it anymore. My parents taught me Italian from the age of four because they planned on moving here and I was ten before they introduced English. So this would be where we are staying."

It wasn't stunning exactly, moreover shocking and hard to look at. It was painted a light rusty brown, with red rooftops. On one side a slim tower rose up to meet the sun, while the rest of the house lay cobbled together in the Italian style. The sun which glinted against the cleanliness of the paint forced them to squint in order to look at the villa. As small set of doors was inlaid in the gate through which they entered. Two massive doors seemed to open into the house, each twice the height of Ryou and probably weighing hundreds of pounds each. In the left door though there was a small door just large enough to emit a tall but fairly thin person.

Ryou entered the house first. After placing the box of ashes carefully on a table he helped Marik with the bags. The villa was decorated in rich colours. A million shades of red, orange, and yellow hung, streaming flowing endlessly in a dance with the sun. A rich chocolate brown bubbled up from the floor thick wooden planks that created a place for the sun to settle.

Marik looked across at Ryou, who had gone into some sort of comatose state. His brown eyes were now; deep pools, full of warmth and glimmering with flecks of gold richer than any carat. Marik had never though he could see Ryou more beautiful. Until he watched him walk forward into a patch of sunlight, his head dropped. He turned to Marik the perfect picture of dejection. When he turned to Marik he was laughing, a relaxed quiet laugh.

Marik closed the space between them. It was a simple action but it took on more meaning than a simple movement toward someone. It was the first action in feeling completely merged with someone. He laid a single kiss to Ryou's lips, nothing more than a fraction of the lightest touch. In that moment the sunlight disappeared. Ryou looked up and then taking Marik's hand dragged him through the house, to a door on the other side. They ran out onto the edge of a cliff with a view of Italy so breathtaking you could pass out. The skies opened up and rain fell around them soaking them within seconds. Marik stopped and pulled Ryou into him. Neither of them initiated the kiss and they stayed there, soaked and freezing cold entwined for the sake of simply being at least for those moments whole.


	13. Chapter 13

That evening after they had dried off, Ryou, and Marik were trying to cook. Ryou was completely inept with cooking managed to create an incredible Italian dish that Marik couldn't pronounce no matter how many times he tried. Ryou was laughing at his attempts; Marik tossed a bit of parmesan at him telling Ryou to shut up.

"Siete orribile!" Ryou laughed just to tease the blond, who besides not being able to speak Italian found Ryou to be extremely sexy with the accent.

"You know if you weren't so cute, you would be infuriating." Marik said taking their dishes to wash them. Ryou followed him and grabbed a towel so he could dry the dishes.

"Marik you never say anything about... about Malik."

Marik handed Ryou a plate and stuck his hands back in the soapy water. "I didn't think there was much point, he's gone and I have you now."

"Of course there is a point Marik. He still sort of exists, through you."

"He's gone Ryou, I couldn't bare the possibility of him still being here, and seeing me with you. I didn't plan on falling in love with you." Marik was yelling now, slightly hysteric. "I don't know why but I did!" He took a knife from the water and turned towards Ryou who took a step backwards. Marik threw it and it hit the wall. "How could you do this to me? You know I lost Malik only two months ago! I can't even look at you without seeing him, and it makes me hate you for making me love you. Then I hate myself for hating you." Marik added in a whisper before storming from the room.

Bakura and Malik watched this play out before them. Malik went to go make sure Marik was okay and didn't try to leave. Bakura stayed to watch Ryou.

The boy had sunk onto the floor every sign of happiness seemed to have drained out of his body and left him empty. He heard Marik's footsteps above him and reached a hand up as though trying to get to the blond. He looked in front of him straight through Bakura. His eyes fixed on something and he stood up. He picked up the knife and ran out into the foyer.

"Ryou, no! NO! Malik, help me. MALIK!" Bakura yelled as he chased Ryou, who had taken the box of ashes and run out of the door.

Malik came down the stairs and saw Bakura running, Malik started to run after him, then turned to see Marik standing on the deck yelling after Ryou. Malik stopped and so did Bakura. They turned to face each other. Ryou tore the lid of the box and threw the ashes into the ocean handfuls at a time, turned the box upside down and released the ashes into the wind.

Marik yelled at him louder more urgent when he saw the knife being raised in the air. A terrible scream ripped from Ryou's throat as he plunged the blade trough his heart. Marik screamed again and ran from the house out onto the lawn running to the silver haired boy.

Bakura saw Malik waver slightly then disappear, confused he looked around. Malik was standing in front of Ryou flickering. Ryou collapsed and Malik disappeared. The scene in front of him dissolved and was replaced.

Almost a year ago he had found Ryou standing here. It was about a week before their wedding and they had argued, Bakura wanted to move and sell the villa. He wanted to start life anew, somewhere else. When he left Japan he never thought he would end up in Italy six years later about to be married. He hated the fact that Ryou had a life here. Everyone knew them and seemed to know everything about them. It bothered Bakura and he was determined to leave.

Ryou on the other hand was happy. Both he and Bakura had jobs in Venice working at a counselling center; they had a place to live. He didn't see the reason to leave and he hated the fact that Bakura seemed to think it was a condition of them staying together.

Ryou hated it when they argued and had a tendency to blame himself. Bakura came up behind him and wrapped his arms around him. The wind that came over the ocean was freezing at this time of night, and Ryou was visibly cold. The cliff dropped off sharply before them, and the sun was almost setting. Bakura remembered telling Ryou he was going to leave. The kinder silver haired boy breathed a sigh of relief and leaned back into his lover.

"I'll go, babe. I'll go."

"You don't have to sell the villa. We can keep it, use it for vacationing. We can move somewhere nice, metropolitan; you always did want to go to New York."

Ryou just placed his hands over Bakura's. They watched the sun set and listened to the water crash into the cliff. It was never really decided that they would leave. They just started packing one day. Left at night and let some girls from the local university stay in the right wing of the villa. Right now though Bakura wished he was standing on the cliff watching the clouds turn red: rather than imagining grass stained with red.

Marik was so unsure of what was going on. He bolted to Ryou's side but he wasn't really seeing Ryou. The grass was turning to gritty cement and the silver hair slick with blood, had turned blond. He was lifting a body into his arms, but it was Marik's not Ryou's. Screaming a name over and over again but it wasn't Ryou's. He was losing his mind over again, feeling undesirable pain, being blinded by grief in an all too familiar way. The same way he felt two months ago on that warm New York spring morning.


	14. Chapter 14

Marik's vision cleared to horrible scene. Malik was lying in front of him with blood pooled around darkening the blond strands of hair. It took a second for Marik to register the sight.

"M- Malik?" he asked. Confused he looked around for the knife which was lying a few feet away.

"Mar? What are you doing here?" The other blond pushed himself a few inches off the ground and looked up. "How did you end up dead?"

"I'm not dead; at least I don't think so. Ryou stabbed himself, and I came to help him and I passed out or something and now you're here."

"So I have been reincarnated in your new lover's body?"

"Possibly, unless of course I'm dead, which could be the case."

"Well, I don't see Bakura anywhere."

"Bakura as in... Ryou's husband, Bakura?"

"I would guess so."

Marik was really very happy to see Malik, but was confused as to what had gone wrong, although the alternative was it going right. Marik shuddered to think what that would have meant for Ryou. But, if Malik was here...

"What about Ryou? Is he... dead?" Marik whispered leaning toward Malik so he could hear him.

"I- I think so Mar." Malik looked up and into the empty violet eyes. Marik let out a cry of anguish and lunged toward the knife. Malik kicked the knife away and sent it skittering over the edge of the cliff.

"You" Malik said "are not killing yourself." Marik huffed his distaste at this statement and reached out a hand to help Malik up.

Bakura looked down at Ryou who seemed in a way to be sleeping, except for the fact that he was lying in a pool of blood. He had curled into the cute little ball he normally did when he was asleep, his eyes hidden by his hair.

Bakura sighed and knelt beside him. He shook him and when that didn't work, took Ryou by both shoulders and shook him wildly about.

"WH-what are you doing!" Ryou yelled as he sort of awoke. Bakura stopped shaking him after a few seconds, and then asked him the same question.

"Why on earth did you stab yourself?"

"I'm sorry I know it wasn't a very rational decision but in my defence..."

"That must have been the most irrational thing you have ever done!"

"I did marry you."

That shut Bakura up. Until he realized that Malik was missing.

"Oh no, you're dead, I'm dead. What happened to Malik?"

"You mean the blond Marik's talking to?"

"Yes."

"Bakura do you remember if we left the Ouija board here?"

"I would like to say no."

"Oh come on."

The silver haired boys followed the blonds across the grass and into the villa. Underneath the bed in one of the spare rooms was a dusty thin black box. Bakura and Ryou tried to figure out how to get it downstairs and to get Malik or Marik to use it.

"I really don't think walking into a room holding it is the best way to not freak them out. Things shouldn't move around by themselves."

"Oh Ryou, I'm pretty sure one of them will realize it's us." Bakura took the box and walked out the door. Ryou followed him and tried to grab the box from him. Ryou got it and then dropped it accidentally when Bakura tried to pull it back.

"Or we could just throw it down the stairs?" Ryou said smiling cutely, as Bakura scowled at him.

Marik had walked over to the stairs and carefully picked the box up. He placed it on the table and asked Malik if he knew what it was.

"It's an Ouija board." He said blowing some dust off the top. "It's got to be Bakura and Ryou trying to talk to us!" He took off the lid and placed the board on the table and centered the cursor on it. He turned and looked at Marik expectantly.

"Well..."

"What?"

"Say something! See if Ryou's okay?"

"Oh ahh umm... Ryou?"

Slowly the cursor slid to yes.

"Are you okay?"

The cursor tapped the yes again, and Marik breathed a sigh of relief.

"Bakura." Malik didn't ask he expected an answer.

The cursor tapped the yes yet again.

I-S M-A-L-I-K O-K-A-Y the cursor slid to the letters with a jerky urgent motion.

"I'm fine."

A-N-D M-A-R-I-K the cursor was smoother this time, not as abrupt.

"I'm okay."

H-O-W A-M I G-O-I-N-G T-O G-E-T B-A-C-K the cursor spelled out.

Bakura turned to Ryou. "Who said you get to go back?"

"Well I just assumed..."

"Yes well Malik is safe now and alive where he belongs and he's staying there."

"Sure with Marik, who he is or was or whatever married to. Can you handle them getting back together? In our house? In our bed?"

"I handled you and that blond creep! You think I wanted to leave you? Of course not, why would I want that babe?"

"We know that one couple gets to live and one get's to die. Just who?"

"Who do you mean?"

"Me and you or you and Malik or vice versa."

Marik and Malik were discussing the same thing.

"I think, I think that it would be better if we all decided this. Because if we bring back or kill someone and they don't want to switch it could be messy."

Malik made a good point actually. Only thing is everyone wanted their partner to be alive, and they would rather be dead. It was sweet in a way but majorly frustrating.

The tried to see if they could make it work in the couples they were in now. Marik moved toward Malik and kissed him, hard. Malik's hand found the hem of the other boy's shirt and pulled it off. Marik was rushed and hurriedly undressed Malik. Then he remembered that Ryou might be seeing this, and then he felt Malik underneath him, all the sensations running through his body and he tried to push them away but they still came. His stomach twisted soon when it was over, he left Malik and after putting his clothes back on Marik left and walked far away.

He walked away from the cliff and the villa and into a little town nestled in the hills. Little kids still played in the street barefoot, and the women still wore dresses. It was as though it was frozen in time. A young girl who must have been only twelve was washing clothes in a basin outside her house. She reminded him of the girl who worked at the crematory. She young and so full of life, yet here she was working already.

"Give me that." He said holding his hand out for the shirts she was scrubbing. She dropped her eyes and looked down, with a curtsy she said "Signore, il Signore mi scuso. Non riesco a capirla." (Sir, sir please forgive me. I can't understand you.) She turned away from him. Marik not one to be ignored picked up a shirt off the ground and plunged it into the water. It was scalding and he cringed but kept his hands in. She handed him a brush "Macchia, come questo" (Scrub, like this) and worked the shirt she was cleaning in her hands until he figured it out. He tried to clean the shirt but lost it in the tub and after much struggling pulled off his shoes and climbed in after it. The water was hot and he started jumping around he slipped and fell into the water. He was flailing around and the young girl was laughing.

When he came back up a man came out of the house and rushed toward the girl. He took her arm and slapped her, hard across the face. She whimpered and pulled away but he twisted her thin arm and she came scurrying back. The man started to yell, and threw the girl into the dirt in front of him. He ripped the clothes from the line and tossed them, still wet into the dirt. He started to trample them when Marik who had abandoned the soapy shirt got to him.

He had to admit, the old man could fight and he was a lot heavier than Marik, but Marik took the washing board and after a few good hit's knocked the old man out. People had come out of their houses when the yelling started. No one seemed brave enough to approach the crazy young man, who after tossing the washing board aside went to the young girl. She was standing in the arms of a young man (he couldn't have been over sixteen) She was okay with just a few bruises; Marik asked if there was anything he could do. Several women had taken over the washing, and were tending to the old man.

"To much you have done." Said the boy in broken English, he pointed out of the town. Marik left feeling that one fight was enough for the day. When he reached the outskirts the girl caught up with him. "Graci" she said before running back to the boy who looked a little angry.

Marik took his time going back to the villa, when night had truly fallen he walked towards the yellow glow coming from the windows. Malik met him in the foyer. Without saying much they went back into the living room to make plans with Ryou and Bakura.

Twenty minutes later Marik was in the kitchen sharpening the knife. He tested it on his forearm, drawing one thin red line across it. He washed off the blood and set the knife on the counter. They had agreed on the next morning after the sun rose. He and Malik went on a hunt for rooms to sleep in. When they found two that seemed nice they said goodnight and went their separate ways. The clock read 10:45.

12:06 Malik showed up at Marik's door, neither of them were asleep. Malik had been crying you could see the redness around his eyes in the pale moonlight.

2:38 Marik and Malik are sitting on the floor not talking. Malik leaned his head on Marik's shoulder and stayed like that. It was Marik's turn to cry.

4:17 Ryou and Bakura are on the other side of the room mirroring Malik and Marik who fell asleep a little while ago.

5:56 sunlight starts to stream in the windows, soon it will be time.


	15. Chapter 15

Waking up was hard. With little sleep and fear of what was coming next the morning was tense. Malik and Marik hardly spoke, while Bakura and Ryou had talked a little. While the two blonds ate breakfast, Bakura took Ryou's hand and slid his wedding bands off it. He had tried not to wear them, but it felt weird. The kinder boy tried to grab them, thinking that he wasn't going to get them back. But then Bakura pressed his lips to each one. He returned then to Ryou, warm from his touch. Ryou took Bakura's hand and didn't bother to take the ring off he just kissed his way up Bakura's arm, along his shoulder and up his neck to his ear. Slowly to hands moved across his back, down his thighs, traced the crook of his knee. Then Bakura pulled away.

"Hhhh whhaa?"

"They're going!" So the four filed outside, Marik carrying the knife. They had decided on the same spot that Ryou had sort of almost (maybe) died.

"Does it hurt to die?" Marik asked.

Malik turned to Marik a few tears forming in his eyes. He blinked and they ran down his cheeks. Marik stepped forward and carefully brushed them away. "Yes, it does." Marik tipped Malik's chin closer and leaned in. "But I don't mind if it's the only way for me to be happy." He stepped back from Marik and then turned around. "We should just do this as quickly as possible." His voice broke and his shoulders shook.

Marik stepped forward a little blinded by tears. He held the knife to Malik's throat and his hands shook. He pressed the tip into the flesh, and a little blood bubbled.

Bakura looked at Ryou who was turned away. He looked back at Malik watched him struggle against Marik's hands, the tip of the knife moved away from the blonds neck and was sent plunging into Marik's ribs. He gasped, before ripping the blade out and sending it again into his heart. Malik spun around and watched horrified, as Marik bled out, in front of him. He dropped to his knees and tried to comfort him as he passed, felt the fire that ripped through his body. The eye's finally closed and Malik waited for Bakura to come to him, knowing he would. He hardly cared that he was soaked in his ex-lover's blood. He just wanted to know that Bakura was coming back to him.

Ryou had seen Bakura disappear from his peripheral vision, he turned around to see a blond form lying on the ground, he looked away his stomach lurching. Then he saw Malik standing up and backing away a little. The hair was turning sliver, and a blond form was appearing near Ryou.

"Marik." He said going to the boy. He shook him and kept at it until Marik pulled Ryou's hands off of him.

"Take it easy Ryou."

"What happened? Why are you here?"

"I'm sorry I just couldn't kill him. It was easier to die myself than to slit his throat. You must be so angry."

Ryou was no longer paying attention though. He was watching Malik and Bakura. Both of them seemed overjoyed at being reunited.

"I love you Mar." And the silver haired boy pounced on the blond rolling him over so that he was pinned under Marik. Laughing the blond leaned down and kissed Ryou, taking his time and enjoying it.

"So you're not mad."

"No, you did exactly what I would have done."

"You don't mind being dead."

"No, I have no reason to mind. I have you, and I'm happy." He stopped Marik was looking at him puzzled. Ryou was becoming fainter and fainter. He started to say something but the other boy was gone completely before he could open his mouth. Bakura and Malik had started to walk to the villa so they could change out of their blood stained clothes. Marik started to chase after them and had reached the door of the villa when something ran up his spine, tickling him and making him shudder. He turned to see Ryou.

"Where did you go?" Marik snapped

"I'm not sure, but there were more people. I couldn't find you so I decided to come back." Ryou answered a little meekly.

"What do you mean decided?"

"I wondered where you were. Then I was back here and you were running after 'Kura, and Malik.

"Oh so how are we supposed... who are they?" he had noticed three girls walking up the grass toward the house, two were crying and the last one was trying to comfort them both, while trying not to cry herself.

"That's Tea, Mai, and Miho. They rent one wing of our villa while they go to school. I wonder what's wrong."

Slowly the girls approached, Miho who had very blue hair open the door and shepherded the other two inside. She looked up to see Malik and Bakura still in the blood soaked clothes making out against the wall of the foyer.

"Ahh Bakura? Hi."

Bakura broke off mid kiss and looked over at Miho, who was staring wide-eyed at the scene before her.

"Umm oh hi Miho. How are you?" Bakura smiled as sweetly as possible, and Malik grinned from his spot on the wall.

"Well, I'm okay, how is everything here." She stepped in front of her friends and pushed them back towards the door.

"You mean the blood oh it's no big deal, we just had a small incident with..."

"Rabbit." Squeaked Malik. He seemed a little worried about the two crying girls, or the fact three girls had just wandered into the villa at all.

"Yes with a rabbit, umm Madam Rita asked us to help her kill, and skin a few. You know how she likes her rabbit stew."

Miho nodded and then looked at Malik. "Does Ryou know about your blonde friend there?"

"Well actually Ryou's dead."

The two girls wailed louder. "But what's wrong with them?' Bakura asked trying to shift the focus of the conversation off himself and Malik.

"Well Yugi and Kaiba were seriously injured in a freak accident in which their car was hit by a larger car and ran off a cliff."

"Oh no." He turned to Malik. 'Why don't you go change and I'll make these girls some tea."

Malik bolted from the room and up the stairs. The three girls wandered into the kitchen with Bakura following him. No one spoke as he placed water on the stove to boil. He leaned back against the counter as they waited. Malik came back into the room, and Bakura left to change. Ryou and Marik waited in the living room and when he passed flipped the Ouija board onto the floor.

"Ryou?" Bakura said.

The board went back into place and the cursor settled on yes.

"I have an idea."

S-O D-O W-E the cursor slid from one letter to the next very quickly.

Bakura smiled and called Malik. Ryou and Marik hugged each other as Bakura spoke "It's time to bring you boys home." An all too familiar creepy grin spread across his face as his mind started to work on the best way to get into the hospital.


	16. Chapter 16

Bakura left Malik and Miho together while he went out to steal Yugi's and Kaiba's bodies. Miho had looked disapprovingly at the blond before flouncing over to a table where she had spread out her school work. When Bakura had kissed Malik goodbye she huffed a little, while Tea, and Mai who had (after Bakura slipped a little vodka in their tea) started to giggle at very small things started over again, causing Miho to burst out in a furious tirade of Italian "Zitto, entrambi di voi idioti. Non so che cosa ha ottenuto in voi." Both girls fell silent casting Miho stunned glances with their wide eyes.

"I didn't think you could yell." Malik said a little shocked at how quickly her flowing voice had turned into a silencing growl.

The blue hair swung Malik's way. "You stay quiet too, I have exams coming up."

Bakura had little trouble slipping in through an open window in the hospital. In a small closet he set up the Ouija board and told Marik to meet him at Kaiba's body. Ryou was to wait for them both at Yugi's.

It wasn't hard for Bakura to make his way through the hospital when he lived here it was common practice for him and Ryou to help family's through difficult periods and hard decisions. Many of the nurses just smiled and a few welcomed him back, and when he slipped into the room that belonged to Kaiba no one seemed to care.

He had told Marik and Ryou what to do on his way here, it seemed that as Kaiba's hair was a little blonder and his skin darker that Marik was already channelling his spirit into the CEO. Bakura grimly disconnected the machines that were breathing for the boy. In less than five minutes Marik was fully alive again. Bakura somewhat carelessly ripped the IV out of Marik's forearm. A scary red sadistic glint had appeared in Bakura's eyes, startling Marik eyes more than the pain in his left arm.

Marik pulled himself out of the bed and after finding himself in a ridiculously short hospital gown, found himself wondering how he was supposed to get around the hospital so overly exposed.

Bakura snickered. "You would certainly welcome Ryou back looking like that." He threw a set of clothes at the blond. "Change and get your ass into the hall." He turned and left closing the door behind him.

Bakura calmed himself; he mustn't fall back into old habits. This was about getting two people back alive safely, not taking lives. Then Marik was standing at his shoulder and the angry feeling came back. He turned his back on the blond and walked down the hall. He had seen the crazy hair that identified the pint sized Yugi, it had faded a little revealing a little silver, he was taller and his skin had taken on a milky sheen. Bakura gently slid the oxygen mask off the face that would soon belong to Ryou. After a few minutes Ryou slowly appeared before them, but remained unconscious. Bakura had disconnected the machines that monitored vitals, and they had no idea if the boy was okay. Marik started to get anxious, pacing back and forth all the while shooting worried glances toward his sliver haired lover.

Bakura placed his fingers over the pale skin on Ryou's wrist, it was much too hot to the touch and his pulse was slow.

"Marik help me."

"What is he okay."

"We need to get him out the window."

"Ahh...well...umm."

"Marik." The creepiest low growl rumbled from somewhere deep in Bakura's throat. His eyes burned fiery red. "Do what the fuck I tell you or Ryou can find a nice hole in the ground." His hand moved over to Ryou's throat where it lay waiting to tighten.

Marik nodded and rushed to open the window, the hospital, luckily was one level and low to the ground. Marik jumped out and waited for Bakura to bring Ryou.

Bakura picked Ryou up carefully, his rage gone now that Marik had left the room. At the slight jostling Ryou's eyes flickered. He mumbled something and then leaned into Bakura's arms.

Marik saw the two boys in the window. He expected to be handed Ryou, but Bakura swung a leg over the sill and being as tall as he was had no problem in getting out with his burden.

"He's lighter than I remember." Bakura said when Marik expected to be handed the sickly looking silver haired boy. Looking slightly put off Marik answered him. "He wouldn't really eat after you...left us for a while."

Bakura stumbled a little over some rocks and Ryou roused a little. He coughed a little and said something so unclearly Marik couldn't tell if it was even English. Marik came over and tried to take his beau from Bakura. Ryou clung to the silver haired person holding him. In the end Marik had to step back in order for Ryou to calm down. He looked hurt and confused.

"He's probably out of it." Bakura mentioned although he seemed happy to continue on with the boy in his arms. Marik didn't answered and they continued on in silence to the villa.

"How are we going to explain the too Miho?" Marik asked smugly glad to have something over the boy who seemed intent on one upping him.

"She won't remember much, it's not like I made a big deal of his death. Exams are coming up soon and she will be busy studying. "

The villa was pretty dark and quite. When they opened the door the only light came from the living room. Malik was sitting up waiting for them. He looked up his eyes traveling happily over Marik's and Bakura's faces before he noticed the unconscious Ryou.

"What's wrong with him?"

"My theory is that maybe one of the wounds in the body was infected and the speeded healing probably spread it through his blood stream. He also was fine with being dead so it must have taken a lot more energy to get back into a body."

"You couldn't have told me this while we were walking?" Marik asked.

"But then I would have had to explain it twice and all that."

Malik interrupted. "He really needs to be put in a bed."

Bakura turned up a staircase that wound up and up into a circular room. They were in the tower. The room was decorated nicely and a huge comfortable looking bed was set by the window. Bakura pulled the cover down and set Ryou down gently. He covered him and said something softly in Italian " una stella cadenti è sceso dal vostro cuore e sbarcati nei miei occhi." This calmed the boy somewhat and he let go of Bakura and fell back limply. All three boys sighed as they wondered what the next few days would bring.


	17. Chapter 17

Ryou kept complaining he was cold, but he was running a dangerously high fever of 101. Marik stayed up placing cold cloths on the boys burning skin and holding him when he started to shiver. Bakura came up sometime in the early morning to see if Marik wanted to get some sleep. The blond refused to leave Ryou for fear of something happening if he left.

The sick boy clung to Marik trying to draw as much heat as possible. Marik took several extra blankets that were on the floor and tossed them over the shivering boy. Ryou curled as tight as he could next Marik. Hours later the blond pressed his hand to the pale skin of the other boy's forehead. His fever had broken. Relived the blond slept, until he was awoken by a shouting.

Bakura bolted into the room followed by Malik. Ryou scampered out of the bed and ran to Bakura.

"Who are you?" he asked Marik.

I-I you don't remember me?"

"I've never seen you before. Bakura" he asked "Who is that."

"I'M YOUR BOYFRIEND." Marik yelled suddenly scaring the three other boys. "I spent the last day looking after you, the last three weeks with you. Don't you, don't you remember?"

"Bakura what's going on?" Ryou asked again.

Across the room Marik let out a roar of frustration and anger. Malik went to him, but was swatted away by Marik. Bakura peeled Ryou off of him and went after Marik. Marik swung at him first, glad to have someone to vent his rage on. Bakura simply grabbed both of his arms and threw him into the wall.

"You. Can't. Do. That. Boy." Bakura spat each syllable at the blond.

"Bakura babe, calm down." Ryou spoke up from his corner.

"What is the last thing you remember Ryou?" Bakura asked.

"Coming out of the club after Anzu threatened to fire us."

The three boys sighed again.

Bakura took Ryou's hand and led him over to the bed. He sat on the floor in front of him and motioned to Malik to sit with him. After a while Marik crawled a little closer but sat away from Bakura.

"Ryou, I died you see," Bakura started ignoring Ryou's shock. "That's when you met Marik, and I met malik in the afterlife. Marik stayed with you and came with you to Italy. You two fought and you killed yourself," Bakura stopped and let Ryou collect his thoughts. "Then Malik was reborn in to your body and we found out how this odd thing works. Malik was supposed to die so that you could come but Marik couldn't do it, and ended up dead instead. We found a few bodies to use and brought you two back. You got very sick and Marik looked after you for the last day or so."

Bakura stopped talking. Ryou looked stunned. Marik got up and knelt in front of him. He took Ryou's hands.

"Look babe two days ago we were in love, and Bakura and Malik are in love. Please tell me you remember something, anything about us."

Ryou's tear filled chocolate eyes stared into Marik's hopeful violet ones.

"Mar?" Ryou said

"Yeah, babe."

"I –I loved you?"

"Loved?"

"Let me finish. I loved you and I still do."

Marik grabbed the other boy in a crazy tight hug. He kissed Ryou quickly in sheer happiness and then again longer and deeper when it sunk in. Bakura cleared his throat behind them.

"There is the small manner of wedding rings that we might need to discuss."

"Well why don't we just all take them off for now?" Marik suggested.

"I don't think so." Malik said, "These rings were given to us by people we loved, and even if we love other people I don't think it erases what I felt and still feel for Marik or what Ryou feels for Bakura."

Ryou and Bakura exchanged a glance, remembering what had happened a few days ago.

"You look tired Ryou; we should go and let you rest." Bakura said getting to his feet. "Marik, you should get something to eat, I'll stay with Ryou."

"I don't need someone to watch over me, thank you very much." Ryou protested.

Marik rubbed the boy's back. "Its okay babe I'll just get something to eat quickly and come right back. Someone should stay here though, you were really sick."

Marik left and closed the door behind him, Bakura rushed at Ryou and pinned him to the wall.

"W-what are you doing." Ryou fought the two hands on his shoulders but he couldn't get free.

"Do you know why I asked about the rings?" Bakura whispered.

"Because you don't want me to wear then anymore, you rather Malik has them."

"No Ryou, seeing you wear them makes me remember you and how you felt, how in love I was," he ran his hands down Ryou's sides and felt ribs. "I know you missed me too, for a little while at least."

He moved away from the wall and sat on the bed he and Ryou shared when they had lived here.

"What are you saying Bakura?"

"I still love you Ryou, and it kills me to see you with Marik wearing the rings I gave you because I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you."

"They rest of your life, you _died_ Bakura. End of life, done, finished, over."

"I'm here now Ryou, I want you back. I love Malik but he's not you. He's not going to walk out of a club at midnight with his hair tousled, ignoring all the single people he could have his pick of to come to me, kiss me simply because I'm the one he wants. He's not going to need me to keep him warm every single night, he's not going to make as happy as I was. I was so happy to be with someone else I was willing to let you go."

"You want me to leave Marik?"

"Seeing you with him pisses me right off. Whenever he touches you, or you smile at him I want to snatch you away. Keep you from him."

"Oh Bakura..."

But Bakura had taken off his own wedding band and had slid off the bed onto one knee. "Ryou, please," begged. "Come back to me babe."


	18. Chapter 18

Ryou backed up, unsure of how to react to Bakura's gesture. "Bakura I think you should just calm down now."

"Ryou..." he pleaded again.

"Stop, I can't deal with this right now!"

"Just listen to me."

Ryou backed out the door before turning and running down the stairs. He found Marik clearing a few dishes away in the kitchen.

"What are you doing down here?" Marik asked, surprised to see the boy. "I was just about to come back up."

"You were taking a while so I came to see what was holding you up." Ryou replied, forcing himself to smile.

"Oh, well would you like something?"

"Just a cup of tea maybe."

"Still not feeling well?" Marik asked. "You seem a little pale."

Ryou's head spun and he stumbled a little. Marik came forward and placed an arm around him to steady him.

"Easy there, just let me help you."

Ryou shifted and Marik felt hardly any weight. At first he thought that Ryou wasn't putting much pressure on him, but the sharp line of the boy's hips and ribs became apparent to the blond as he helped him over to a chair.

"You haven't been eating very much."

"I haven't been feeling that well."

"Hmm, still you should eat a little more." Marik placed the kettle on the stove. "I still don't understand why you got so sick coming back.

Ryou placed his head on the counter, for some reason he felt oddly tired. The whistling kettle felt like someone stabbing him in the temple and sent the room careening again.

"Damn it," Marik said handing Ryou a mug of steaming water. He placed a teabag in it. "This stops now. You are going to get better, and you are not going to argue with me." The blond looked down at Ryou. "So what are you going to eat?"

"Just... just some toast thanks."

Half an hour later after Marik had released Ryou from the kitchen, Ryou was sitting in the bathroom with the shower turned to the highest setting. When the room had filled with steam, he turned the temperature down and began to undress. He didn't want to see how apparent his bones had become; the veins that showed through his milky white skin. His body felt fragile and breakable, yet heavy and tired.

He crept back across the hall to the room he had woken up in that morning, and gathered some clothes from the closet. The shirt was loose and hung in a strange way, and his jeans stood no chance of staying up. He dug around at the back of the closet and found a pair of pants he had not worn for several years. They were horrible acid washed and look as though he had knelt in bleach but at least they were tight enough to stay clamped around his buttocks. As for the shirt...he found a black wife-beater that he was pretty sure belonged to Bakura.

Looking in the mirror he found he looked like a rocker chic mixed with a sheep-dog. His hair was getting a little long. He laughed at his reflection, and brushed his hair out of his eyes.

Miho laughed as she watched him walk into the room. Malik was sitting with her on the couch. Loud, angry voices could be heard from the adjoining room.

Miho stopped laughing, and it was suddenly quite clear what Marik and Bakura were at each other's throats about.

Ryou pushed the door open gently, and went to pull Marik back from where the blond had flattened Bakura, and had pressed his knee into the other boy's neck.

Ryou tried to pull Marik back. "Get out of this Ryou!" Marik spat, while Bakura gasped for air. "Bastard." He said to Bakura as he slammed his fist into the other boy's nose. "Why the hell would you do that? Are you so inconsiderate that you couldn't even think that he might be happier with me?" Marik stood up and allowed Bakura to scramble to his feet gasping. The blond sized the boy's shoulders and slammed him into the wall. A wild rage had taken over Marik, which scared the hell out of Ryou, even if he did find Marik incredibly sexy at the moment.

Bakura turned furious "I wanted him to know he had options! That if he ever got tired of being your toy, that he had someone who loved him."

Marik stepped back. "What are you implying? That I don't love him! That he's just my toy! If he was what would that make Malik to you?"

"Marik?" Ryou asked "Just stop for a second." Ryou stepped between the two boys and pushed Marik in the chest gently. Bakura's nose was bleeding rather badly and a bruise was appearing on his neck. Marik seemed unharmed minus a few scratches and minor bruising. "Bakura I don't know what your angle is but you have to realise that you are supposed to be dead. You can't blame me for moving on." Ryou turned to Marik. "And as for you, you can't just beat people up. How did you even know about what happened this morning?"

"I was outside the door listening, I didn't trust him alone with you."

Both the blond and Bakura were calming down. Bakura's eyes had returned to the deep chocolate colour they often got around Ryou, and Marik's were the charming warm violet colour Ryou was so fond of.

"Bakura I think you should go," Ryou said "Marik and I need to talk." Bakura stormed out of the room, his eyes flashing red again. He slammed the door with a bang that left a crack in the frame.

"Kiss me," Marik told the silver haired boy.

"Why?"

"Please."

Ryou kissed Marik on his cheek; very close to his lips but not quite.

"Properly Ryou."

A kiss landed on Marik's chin.

"Ryou, please."

A kiss tickled Marik's nose."

"Come on Ryou."

"What's stopping you from kissing me?"

All of a sudden Ryou was flat against the wall, with Marik kissing him so deeply it took what little breath he had. They were so close and so intertwined within seconds, that Ryou's vision blurred and he was unsure of who Marik was and who Ryou was.

Ryou slid down the wall so that Marik had to sink to his knees in order to continue their kiss. A little push and the blond was flat on his back waiting for Ryou.


	19. Chapter 19

**So first of all I would like to bring your attention to my other fic - A Story of a Love Affair and Attempted Murder. Please show it some love, read and review becasue your response might determine if it lives or dies (the fic I mean). Also you guys are great but please recommend me to people, I'm trying to build some momentum which directly translates into more stories for you to enjoy. And lastly a few questions: Where you at Anime Evoloution this summer? And ifso who were you cosplaying? xoFayre **

Bakura stormed through the living room, a few drops of blood pooling thickly on the floor. Malik followed him to the kitchen (why does everything always lead back to the kitchen?) where Bakura was trying to stem the flow of blood with a towel. Malik found a bag of frozen peas and lead the brown eyed boy to a chair.

"Are you going to tell me what happened?"

"No."

"Why."

"Because you probably heard most of it, these walls are thin and your hearing is impeccable."

"I did hear bits of it yes."

"Which bits?"

"Well the bit about you still loving Ryou was one that stood out."

Malik helped Bakura place the bag of frozen vegetables over his nose. A purple flush had appeared around Bakura's eyes. He groaned a little.

"Anything else?" he asked a little timid.

"Am I your toy?"

Bakura's eyes popped open, the question threw him a little. He wasn't too sure of the answer himself.

"The fact you have to think about your answer isn't very reassuring, so I'm going to go away for a while. Find me when you don't have to think about whether or not I'm an object to you or not," and Malik left: walked out of the villa and down the hill without as much as a suitcase.

The thing about skin tight jeans is that getting them off isn't the easiest thing to do. Unfortunately Ryou was now stuck in a acid washed denim prison, and Marik was staring at him disappointedly. Marik looked away because he felt this was proving Bakura's "toy" theory. That was when he noticed a couple of guitars against the wall.

"Ryou, do you play?"

"A little, I could show you if you'd like."

"I'd like to hear you."

Ryou tenderly picked up an acoustic creation that was light oak and sea foam. It rested perfectly on his knee. It seemed like it was built into him.

He tuned it, and started to play a melody and when he started to sing, it was a sweet, cute song that matched his adorable personality.

"_See I'm just the one, the one who looks over. _

_Timid and shy smile, if only I could be bolder. _

_I know I could try but I don't think those words would come out right. _

_But I know I could try, so here it goes. _

_Did you happen to know I won a spelling bee when I was only in Grade Three? _

_Did you happen to know I placed third in a Speech Meet? _

_When I was in Grade Three. _

_So what was it like when you were young and seventeen? _

_I know I tried to fight a chick twice the size of me. _

_I know I lied just so I could stay out all hours of the night. _

_Just to stay out all night. _

_Let's talk about love. _

_Let's laugh about life. _

_Let's sing about the stars, let's drive into the night._

_Let's talk about love, let's laugh about life. _

_So what was it like when you had your first kiss? _

_I remember mine, just cause he practically missed. _

_And what was it like? _

_When you had your heartbroken I know I cried. _

_And it took a while to feel whole again. _

_Let's talk about love. _

_Let's laugh about life. _

_Let's sing about the stars, let's drive into the night._

_Let's talk about love, let's laugh about life." _

Ryou stopped playing and looked up. Tears pooled in his eyes, and threatened to spill onto his face and he willed them not to, but they did. Marik gathered the boy up and stroked his hair, rubbed his back, rocking slightly as Ryou sobbed hysterically into his shirt. He finally calmed down a little, but refused to talk his head buried determinedly into Marik's shoulder. Marik tried to pry Ryou off of him, but the boy had a grip like a vice.

"Babe?"

"Baby?"

"Ryou honey, come on now, it's okay."

"Ryou please."

This was getting him nowhere, so Marik struggled to his feet, and carried Ryou outside, down the steps carved into the cliff and into the sea. Of course Ryou's head was submerged a little and when he couldn't breathe he let go."

"I thought you didn't like water!" he exclaimed at Marik.

"Well you wouldn't let go of me, you have a surprisingly strong grip."

"I have to; people like you are always trying to get away."

"You do have a point there."

"I'm probably stuck in these cursed pants forever; there is no possible way they are coming off now that they are _wet_."

"I still don't understand why you would _choose_ to wear clothes that would make you look like a gay rocker chick."

Ryou laughed and tackled Marik into the water. When they came up, he licked the salt water off of Marik's eyelashes. Marik shuddered a little and kissed Ryou's neck. He nibbled at the boy's collar bone causing the silver haired boy to jump back with a little squeal of surprise.

"Let's talk," Marik suggested.

"About love?" Ryou responded giggling at the blonds clichéd comment.

Marik walked towards the shore and ran up the steps. He stood at the top of the cliff and looked down at Ryou.

"In a way."

Ryou followed him and was met by the blond at the top."

What do you mean?" Ryou asked.

Marik sank shaking onto one knee. "Do you love me?"

Ryou nodded.

The blond continued. "I love you more than words can say. I want to erase any doubt in your mind that I don't. You would never be my toy, but I want you to be mine. Will you marry me?"


	20. Chapter 20

**Well this seems to be the end of this journey. I'm open to new idea's, if you want a few more chapters, or a one shot to sort of complete everything let me know. I won't set it to "complete" for about three weeks and as today is November 12/10 it should give you plenty of time for idea's relating to this story. Idea's for another story are welcome as well, so enjoy and thanks for reading. xo Fayre**

Bakura needed to find Ryou. He went from room to room in the house calling for him, but didn't see him. He went outside and was about to head into the garden, where he and Ryou used to make-out when they lived here, thinking he might be back there with Marik. He turned at the sound of voices.

Calmly Bakura approached the two, coming up behind them as they words "Will you Marry Me?" tumbled out of Marik's mouth. Ryou opened and closed his mouth several times. Made a non-committal sound and gave his head a little shake that wasn't a nod, but wasn't a no. He tilted it slightly to the right, and looked over Marik's shoulder.

"Hi Bakura," he said.

Marik stood up and turned around. "Do you like creeping around listening to conversations?"

"I'm just returning the favour, Blondie. You seemed to enjoy it earlier this morning," he nodded a Ryou over Marik's shoulder. "Considering polygamy are you?"

"No, no I wasn't."

"Well both of us are very interested in your answer to Blondie's question, and you know how I hate to be kept waiting."

Ryou dropped his gaze, his hands twisting and turning his lap. He stood up and took one of Marik's hands in both of his.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. Marik jerked and pulled his hand from Ryou's grasp. The brown eyed boy looked over at Bakura. He took a few steps past Marik and stood looking off to the side. Bakura took a few hesitant steps toward him. He turned Ryou's head gently with one hand, he moved a few strands of silver hair off his face, and carefully planted the smallest of kisses on Ryou's lips. A tiny giggle escaped Ryou.

"I'm sorry," he repeated.

"You're forgiven," Bakura smiled, as Marik walked away kicking rocks in frustration. He kicked a rock that refused to move and swore angrily grasping his foot.

"Do you think he'll be okay?" Ryou asked.

"Honestly, I think he'll get over you fairly quick. The harder part is going to be going home. I'm supposed to be dead, and Malik is supposed to be dead. But all of us have to get back to New York. You and I have work and I'm sure Marik and Malik had something."

"Maybe he and Malik will find each other again?"

"It's possible, but Malik said he never saw Marik as in love with him as he was with you. You're still a little heartbreaker you know that," he winked and touched his nose to Ryou's. "You're still my little heartbreaker."


End file.
